| |
Rhone
(White) White Rhones can be gloriously fragrant when they are young
and richly exotic when they are at least a decade old. Between the two
stages, although perfectly drinkable, they are for some reason far less
attractive than when at either extreme.
|
Type/Region
|
95
|
94
|
93
|
92
|
91
|
90
|
89
|
88
|
87
|
86
|
85
|
84
|
83
|
82
|
81
|
|
Hermitage/Condrieu
|
8
|
7
|
6
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
8
|
7
|
6
|
8
|
4
|
7
|
8
|
5
|
|
Type/Region |
80
|
79
|
78
|
77
|
76
|
75
|
74
|
73
|
72
|
71 |
70
|
69
|
68
|
67
|
66
|
|
Hermitage/Condrieu |
5
|
6
|
9
|
4
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Champagne
Until the 1970s, Champagne vintages were rare, they were only "declared"
by producers in what they believed to be exceptional years. Today, thanks
to better weather and a keen market, at least few examples of vintage
Champagnes are available almost every year.
|
Type/Region
|
95
|
94
|
93
|
92
|
91
|
90
|
89
|
88
|
87
|
86
|
85
|
84
|
83
|
82
|
81
|
|
Champagne
|
|
|
|
7
|
6
|
10
|
9
|
8
|
|
6
|
9
|
|
7
|
8
|
7
|
|
Type/Region
|
80
|
79
|
78
|
77
|
76
|
75
|
74
|
73
|
72
|
71
|
70
|
69
|
68
|
67
|
66
|
|
Champagne
|
5
|
8
|
5
|
4
|
8
|
7
|
4
|
6
|
|
9
|
8
|
6
|
|
|
8
|
Loire (Red): Although they can have an attractive youthful fruitiness
when they are young, good-quality red Loires really do repay keeping.
|
Type/Region
|
95
|
94
|
93
|
92
|
91
|
90
|
89
|
88
|
87
|
86
|
85
|
84
|
83
|
82
|
81
|
|
Loire Red
|
9
|
6
|
6
|
5
|
4
|
9
|
9
|
8
|
6
|
8
|
9
|
4
|
7
|
6
|
|
|
Type/Region |
80
|
79
|
78
|
77
|
76
|
75
|
74
|
73
|
72
|
71
|
70
|
69
|
68
|
67
|
66
|
|
Loire Red |
5
|
6
|
8
|
2
|
9
|
6
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
6
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
Loire (White) Good examples of dry white Loires (Muscadet, Sancerre,
Savennieres, etc), can last well, but they rarely improve beyond the
first few years. Sweet Loires often need to age to tame their acidity.
Many appear to last indefinitely.
|
Type/Region
|
95
|
94
|
93
|
92
|
91
|
90
|
89
|
88
|
87
|
86
|
85
|
84
|
83
|
82
|
81
|
|
Coteaux de Layon
|
9
|
8
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
8
|
9
|
8
|
4
|
7
|
8
|
3
|
7
|
5
|
6
|
|
Vouvray
|
7
|
8
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
8
|
9
|
8
|
5
|
9
|
8
|
6
|
7
|
5
|
6
|
|
Type/Region
|
80
|
79
|
78
|
77
|
76
|
75
|
74
|
73
|
72
|
71
|
70
|
69
|
68
|
67
|
66
|
|
Coteaux
de Layon
|
5
|
6
|
6
|
2
|
9
|
7
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
6
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vouvray
|
5
|
6
|
6
|
2
|
9
|
7
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
6
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
Beaujolais (Crus) Basic Beaujolais and Beaujolais Nouveau should
usually be drunk in the year or so after harvest (nothing awful happens
to Nouveau if you don't drink it before Christmas following the harvest).
Of the 10 Beaujolais cru villages, the ones to keep the longest are Moulin-a-Vent
and Morgon, followed by Julienas and Chenas. Regnie, Chiroubles and Brouilly
need drinking up first.
|
Type/Region
|
95
|
94
|
93
|
92
|
91
|
90
|
89
|
88
|
87
|
86
|
85
|
84
|
83
|
82
|
81
|
|
Cru Beaujolais
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
5
|
9
|
7
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
5
|
9
|
4
|
7
|
6
|
6
|
|
Type/Region |
80 |
79 |
78 |
77 |
76 |
75 |
74 |
73 |
72 |
71 |
70 |
69 |
68 |
67 |
66 |
|
Cru Beaujolais |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ITALY
Piedmont Most Barolo needs at least five, if not 10, years to soften enough
to be enjoyable. Barbaresco is usually approachable younger.
|
Type/Region |
95
|
94
|
93
|
92
|
91
|
90
|
89
|
88
|
87
|
86
|
85
|
84
|
83
|
82
|
81
|
|
Barolo/Piedmont |
9
|
8
|
7
|
5
|
6
|
9
|
9
|
8
|
5
|
7
|
8
|
4
|
6
|
9
|
6
|
|
Type/Region
|
80
|
79
|
78
|
77
|
76
|
75
|
74
|
73
|
72
|
71
|
70
|
69
|
68
|
67
|
66
|
|
Barolo/Piedmont
|
4
|
8
|
8
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
8
|
6
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
|
|
Veneto Valpolicella
and Bardolino are generally made to be drunk young (though a few exceptions
are breaking that rule). Amarone and recioto keep well, and this applies
to white Recioto di Soave as well.
|
Type/Region |
95
|
94
|
93
|
92
|
91
|
90
|
89
|
88
|
87
|
86
|
85
|
84
|
83
|
82
|
81
|
|
Amarone/recioto Veneto |
8
|
8
|
7
|
5
|
9
|
9
|
6
|
9
|
3
|
8
|
9
|
5
|
8
|
7
|
8
|
|
Type/Region |
80
|
79
|
78
|
77
|
76
|
75
|
74
|
73
|
72
|
71
|
70
|
69
|
68
|
67
|
66
|
|
Amarone/Recioto Veneto |
5
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back Next
|
|
|
